February journal

[Paddymountain]

Worked all day today, got everything but the evaporater washed. Hooked up the blowers on the evaporater, plumbed the line from the headtank to the evaporater, washed about 60 buckets last night. The weather is starting to look good for next weekend (Feb 12/12)

[BoarsNest]

I finally had a good reason to use my new snowblower (see video on my flickr). It mounts on the front of the Kubota and cuts through 14" of snow and deeper drifts without an issue. I might have to get some chains for the tractor but it worked great today. I'm feeling really good about getting back to the sugar shack. Maybe next weekend I can fire up the arch for a test boil.

[Yellzee]

Made the hour trip down the highway to Squirrel Creek farms.. near Peterborough.. and spent my fortune on fittings, mainline, etc today.. nice drive down with the 8 year old after hockey... now officially have spent at least triple what I will make on any syrup sales so I must be about ready!

Any ontario folk in this area should make the trip up there, they are great folks and happy to hand out advice to those who need it. Not too far up 28 off the 401.

[TroutBrookSH]

Several things going on here today. Still plenty to do.

Picked up all my fittings, ball valves, etc. to plumb the new releaser. Getting ready to start assembling tonight.

The wife is working on getting the new website published. Should be up before the "big game" tomorrow.

Spent several hours in the bush today. Got the 300 gal tank washed and ready for the releaser. Ran 400' of black plastic to the tank for the dry line. Dry line came in handy running hot water down to the tank!

Installed 150+ new drop lines.

Got the new syrup kitchen/RO room all wired and insulated. Putting in the OSB walls. Milkhouse heater is working great. Nice and comfy, and should be perfect for keeping the RO warm in a couple weeks.

Greg

[MilesTeg]

Well it was one of those days and I need to vent some!

On the good note we got power down to our pump station! So here comes the bad part yay we have power lets fire up the vacuum pump for the first time (Alamo 30). So at first we couldn't get it to pull vacuum then after 5 mins of running it starts pulling out of the blue and jumps to 25". So I rushed around to adjust our regulator which doesn't work come to find out even with it fully open it didn't let in enough air. So we open up our belly releaser still trying to adjust the regulator but with no luck so we close the lines and shut down the pump. So when we go back down to try something elder we turn on the pump and it was siezed. I guess it spun back words so its time to buy and plumb in a check valve and have the dealer come and fix it and bring a proffesional regulator.

So after this craziness I decide to switch the pump on the belly releaser and make sure it turns. Well it turns but it sound like its dieing. I hope it just needs liquid on the head to lubricate it.

After all of this it started to blizzard out so I couldn't bring myself to tap in today like I had planned. So frustrated I hope we can get this all figured out before the warm up. Lol well thanks for listening and if you guys have any ideas or hints it would be greatly appreciated.

[BradWilson]

So it looks like we here in Northern VT are gonna get an early warm up starting 2/13. This is only our 2nd year tapping and we've got a lot of snow in the woods. Should we tap before this warm up? Think it'll run with all the cold and snow we still have?

[Parker]

Deep snow here..got the sugarhouse roof shoveled off..only thing that really slides off that roof is me!!! 2+ feet were on there and we got some rain last night so I was getting pretty concerned...Just looked at the accuweather forcast....looks like sugaring is going to come quicker than I would have thought...Incredably long list of things to do to get ready...havent been in the woods for some time, but, were were all up to snuff on woods work about a month ago....got to get my c.v's and plumb-wire the R.O......and just moved onto a new logging job.....snow is up to my belt..have to shovel out every tree....wonder where my snow shoes are???

[PARKER MAPLE]

So it looks like we here in Northern VT are gonna get an early warm up starting 2/13. This is only our 2nd year tapping and we've got a lot of snow in the woods. Should we tap before this warm up? Think it'll run with all the cold and snow we still have?

I have been waiting and waiting but I just cant wait any longer, I to am going the tap next weekend. weather is looking good but then cold for a few days.

[cpmaple]

Looking at the long range forecast from accuweather i will tap this coming weekend at my lower bush and the following weekend at my mountain bushes cant wait to start boiling with 600 taps out. yessssssss the season is getting closer i cant wait. cpmaple

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Deep snow here..got the sugarhouse roof shoveled off..only thing that really slides off that roof is me!!! 2+ feet were on there and we got some rain last night so I was getting pretty concerned...Just looked at the accuweather forcast....looks like sugaring is going to come quicker than I would have thought...Incredably long list of things to do to get ready...havent been in the woods for some time, but, were were all up to snuff on woods work about a month ago....got to get my c.v's and plumb-wire the R.O......and just moved onto a new logging job.....snow is up to my belt..have to shovel out every tree....wonder where my snow shoes are???

Parker,

I if tapped and made syrup based on accuweather, I don't think I would ever get very far at least down here. They have some of the dumbest forecasts I have ever seen and are so overly optomistic it makes them look stupid.